Chapter 223: Flowers

"Thank you, Professor."

"Are you sure everything's fine? You know, you can always come to me if there's any trouble."

"There's no issue. Mr. Filch just bought a few cleaning crabs from me, but everyone misunderstood the situation," Wade explained helplessly, recounting the entire incident. Only then did Professor Flitwick feel at ease.

"I hope you'll all be more cautious in the future," Professor Flitwick said to Padma and the others. "Always observe calmly before taking action."

"Sorry, Professor." Padma apologized, looking embarrassed.

With that, the little commotion came to an end. Everyone hurriedly moved their things back into place. 

The girls were particularly delighted to find that the bubble-blowing crab from earlier was still there, and felt a sense of joy akin to recovering something precious.

"Why sell cleaning crabs to Filch, though?" Harry asked, puzzled. "Nobody likes him, and it's not like you're short on Galleons."

"Sure, giving him a hard time might feel satisfying, but wouldn't it be more beneficial to maintain a good relationship with the caretaker?" Michael countered. 

"Think about it—if you're out wandering after curfew, Filch might just turn a blind eye."

"Really?" Harry asked, suddenly excited by the idea.

"Of course not!"

Hermione smacked him on the head with a book filled with school rules.

"Even if Filch overlooks Wade, he's still going to catch you!"

Harry's enthusiasm deflated instantly, and his brows drooped in disappointment.

Wade chuckled but didn't elaborate further.

…

Afterward, whenever students saw Filch, they noticed he was always accompanied by a few crabs. Sometimes there were as few as two, other times as many as six, marching neatly in a row like loyal soldiers following their leader.

When students spilled mud or other messy substances on the floor, Filch no longer flew into a rage and shouted hysterically at them.

Instead, he seemed almost pleased. He waved his hand for the crab "troops" to scuttle over. In no time, the mess would be cleaned up, leaving the floors spotless.

If someone accidentally popped a slug or caused a cauldron to explode, the elderly caretaker didn't have to climb up ladders to clean anymore.

For the cleaning crabs, ceilings and floors were the same, and such tasks didn't add any extra effort.

Previously, Filch had hated the constant rainy days, which meant endless cleaning for him.

But now, he even found himself hoping for more rain. He could stand leisurely by the window and enjoy the feeling of misty droplets brushing against his face.

The caretaker's temper seemed to have suddenly improved, leaving the students a bit disoriented.

When they accidentally left the entrance hall covered in mud, instead of the usual shouting and insults, they were met with a smile from the caretaker. The unsettling sensation of this reaction was nothing short of spine-chilling.

Some of the sloppiest students suddenly found themselves breaking old habits.

"I used to think nothing was worse than Filch's yelling, but now I realize I was wrong—"

A Gryffindor student said in a grave tone to his companion, "What's worse is Filch's smile."

His companion nodded in full agreement. "When he smiled at me, I got goosebumps all over."

…

The students' chatter was of no concern to Filch.

He proudly paraded his crabs to every corner of Hogwarts, and watched with satisfaction as every surface they touched became sparkling clean and polished to perfection.

However, while the cleaning crabs were effective, they were still prototypes and occasionally experienced minor malfunctions. This meant Filch had to seek out Wade for repairs.

Over time, the two became genuinely acquainted. Filch even invited Wade into his office as though he were a guest.

It was worth noting that not even Dumbledore had ever received such an invitation.

Filch's office was dimly lit, with a single oil lamp hanging from the ceiling, casting a faint yellow glow across the room.

The walls were lined with filing cabinets. Rumor had it that they contained over a thousand disciplinary records, though no student had ever seen them firsthand.

One wall displayed an assortment of chains, handcuffs, and similar objects, their metallic surfaces gleaming ominously in the light. Even though they were no longer in use, their mere presence was enough to intimidate the faint-hearted.

An orange crab flipped over repeatedly in Wade's hands.

"The magical circuit's worn out a bit, but it's not a big issue."

In just a few minutes, Wade had repaired the crab and placed it back on the ground. It immediately sprang to life, and cleaned up a few ink drops on the floor.

The crabs carried built-in cleaning charms, which kept them pristine despite working all day.

Filch watched the crab in action with obvious affection and said emotionally, "Thank you, Wade. Earlier, Omar was hit by a student's spell and stopped moving…I almost thought it was dead..."

He sniffled, still immersed in his sorrow.

Wade hesitated. "…Omar?"

"Yes, I named it that," Filch said cheerfully, pointing out the other crabs. "That one's Red, Peg, Ruby, Stella, and Thomas."

"Meow~" Mrs. Norris let out a spoiled-sounding cry.

"Of course, of course, my most important one is still Mrs. Norris," Filch quickly added, and then reached out to stroke the cat's sleek back.

Wade remained silent for a moment, deciding not to comment on the situation. Instead, he shifted the topic, asking, "Why is Mrs. Norris so thin? Is she sick, or…"

"…Just old age." Filch picked up the cat and spoke sadly. "She's just like me, too old. Her appetite isn't what it used to be."

"Meow—" Mrs. Norris let out a soft cry.

"Of course, even at her age, Mrs. Norris is as smart and capable as ever—better than most humans, for that matter."

Filch skillfully stroked the cat's ears and chin. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he looked up and asked, "Oh, Wade, would you like some flowers?"

"…Flowers?" Wade echoed.

"Yes."

Filch placed the cat on a chair and got up, heading into an inner room that Wade assumed was his bedroom.

Moments later, Filch returned, carrying several pots of flowers. Their vibrant blooms in shades of purple, red, and yellow filled the small, dim room with a painterly brilliance.

"You've been helping me fix the crabs so often, and I don't have much to repay you with… Recently, Professor Lockhart got his hands on a large batch of flowers. As payment for helping him organize them, he let me keep a few pots."

Filch placed the flowerpots on the table in front of Wade and said, "Take them. They can brighten up your place."

"Thank you." Wade didn't decline and smiled as he said, "I'll put them in the umbrella room. Padma and Michael will definitely like them."

"Um…"

Hearing the names of the students who had previously been reported, Filch hesitated for a moment before saying,

"Tell your friends not to wander outside the school, especially those under third year… There are rumors that a few individuals resembling Dark Wizards were seen in Hogsmeade recently."

Wade's expression grew slightly serious. "When was this?"

"Just a couple of days ago… Friday or Saturday, I think. People said they saw two sneaky individuals, along with a group in black cloaks who looked very dangerous."

Filch strained to recall bits of conversation he had overheard in the pub. At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, thinking it wasn't his concern.

Finally, he said, "If you want, I can ask around for more details."

Wade studied him for a moment before smiling and shaking his head.

"No need… I wouldn't want you to risk anything."

After a pause, he added, "Even if there are Dark Wizards, they can't get into Hogwarts… I'll make sure to warn everyone to stay put."

Filch nodded in agreement. "That's right. Follow the school rules, and you'll stay safe. As long as Dumbledore's here at Hogwarts, not even… not even him, the one whose name can't be mentioned, could harm you."

Though Filch disapproved of Dumbledore's overly lenient management style, he had never doubted the headmaster's power.

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